Collar-ironing apparatus.



J. T. TRUITT.

COLLAR m owme APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-21, 1915- Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0..\vAsmNu'roN. D. c.

. T. TRUITT.

COLLAR IRONING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-21.1915.

Pafented Dec. 14, 1915."

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- mvewx Q11. Wmifib COLUMBIA FLANCKIRAPH CC!" WASHINGTON, D. t:v

J. T. TRUITT.

COLLAR momma APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2|. I915.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEEI 3- COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH c0.,wAsmNu'roN D c 'J'OHN '1. TRUITT, OF ST; LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COLLAR-IRONING APPARATUS.

icense.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 14, 1915..

Application filed April 21, 1915. Serial No. 22,869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. citizen of the United States of Amerlca, a

resident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Collar-Ironing Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for ironing collars, and, more specifically stated, to an apparatus for usein ironing the folds, and the inside faces adjacent the folds, of what are known as turnover collars.

The invention has for its object the'production of ironing means by which such portions of turnover collars may be so ironed and smoothed as to eliminate roughness at Figure I is a top or plan view of my collar Figure 1 is a top or plan view of my collar ironing apparatus. Fig. II isa vertical section through the entire apparatus." Fig. III is a vertical transverse section taken on line III-III, Fig. I. Fig. IV is a top view of the smoothing iron holder immediately above the smoothing irons, the spring pressure device being omitted. Fig. V is a view of the outer end of the iron carrier and the smoothing irons therein. i

A designates the collar holder of'my ironing apparatus. This collar holder, prefer? ably of circular shape, is mounted upon any suitable support, such as the base frame 1 shown in Fig. II. At the upper end of the frame within the radius of the collar holder 7 at 5 upon the upper end of the standard and is held from upward movement by a collar 6 secured to the post beneath the standard.

7 is a pivot pin extending transversely through the bifurcated upper end of the post 4.

8 designates a smoothing iron carrier, the

rear or inner end of which is supported by the pivot pin 7. This iron carrier is rotatable with the post 4 and it extends over the Timrrr, a

' faces provided by the legs.

upper edge of the collar holder A to be moved downwardly and upwardly on its pivotal support relative to the collar holder.

In the iron carrier at a point immediately above the collar holder A is. a substantially vertical opening 10 which receives the smoothing irons to be hereinafter more par-' 'tieularly mentioned.

The iron carrier 8 is supplied with a lever arm 11 which is preferably detachably secured to the iron carrier by screws 12.

A cap 11, preferably integral with the lever arm, overlies the forward portion of the iron carrier in which the opening 10 is located and in the cap are apertures 13, the centers of which are back of the transverse centers of the'openings 10. In other words, the centers of the apertures 13 are closer to the wall of the opening 10 nearest the pivot of the iron carrier than they are to the opposite wall of said opening.

14 is a handle fitted to the outer end of the lever arm 11 by which the lever arm and the inner carrier may be moved vertically on the pivot 7 and swung in a circular course with the post 4.

. 15 designates a lift spring by which the iron carrier is normally held in an elevated position above the collar holder A and returned to such position when the handle 14 is released. The spring 15 is mounted in an arm 4 at the upper end of the rotatable post 4 and it is connected to the iron carrier by stud 16 provided with a loop 17 through which the spring extends. The bifurcations at the lower ends of the smoothing irons provide inner ironing legs 18 and outer ironing legs 19 with an ironing surface 20 between them in addition to the ironing sur- It is the intention to, in the use of my present ironing apparatus, provide more particularly for the ironing and smoothing of the inner portions of turnover collars adjacent their folds in addition to the ironing folds, and for this reason the smoothing irons are arrangedto be automatically adjusted so that the inner ironing legs 18 of the smoothing irons will press more positively against the collars than the outer legs of suph irons. Each smooth g" i 'Q s tab pered longitudinally and downwardly, at its front and back, from a point intermediate of its ends to thelower ends of the legs 18 and 19, (see FigII) thereby providing bevels-21 and 22, the bevel'2l being located at the side of the ironrnearest the pivot 7 and the bevel 22' farthest from said pivot. Each smoothing iron is also beveled upwardly from a point intermediate of its ends to the upper end of the iron at the front side of the iron farthest from the pivot 7, this bevel being indicated by the numeral 23. The smoothing irons are suitably supported in the opening 10 in the iron carrier 8 to admit of their movement in a vertical direction in said opening, the means for their support shown in the drawings comprising studs 24 carried by the irons, and seated in pockets 9 formed'in the iron carrier adjacent to the rear wall of the opening 10: g

It is desirable also that the smoothing irons partake .of play a direction transversely of the iron carrier 8 and to permit freedom of movement in this direction, each iron is tapered upwardly and downwardly from a point intermediate of its ends thereby providing outside bevels 25 at the upper ends of the irons, inner side bevels 26 at the upper ends of the irons; and bevels 27 and 28 located respectively at theouter sides and inner sides at the lower portions of the irons. These bevels are shown most clearly in Fig. III. The smoothing irons B are surmounted by controlling elements which will be next described.

29 designates a presser bar above the apertures 13 in the cup 11. This is slidably arranged on a guide post 31 and is recessed at its bottom, providing pockets 30. 32 are bearing'elements, preferably in the form of balls, as shown, interposed between ,the presser bar 29 and the smoothing irons B. The bearing elements 32 are positioned in the apertures 13 in the cap 11 and are, therefore, constantly presented against the upper ends of the smoothing irons back of the centers of the irons, with a resultant action to be hereinafter particularly noted.

The presser bar 29 is yieldingly depressed toward the smoothing irons by a spring33 surrounding the guide post 31. The said spring is placed under tension by an adjustment nut 34: on the guide post, and the tension of said spring may be quickly increased or lessened by downward or upward adjustmentof the nut 34.

35 designates a leg extending downwardly from the iron carrier and having mounted therein a track wheel 36 adapted to operate on the track 2 when the smoothing irons B are inactive service. The said leg, being carried by the smoothing iron carrier, occupies'an elevated position, as seen in full lines Fig. II, when the iron carrier is at rest, andwhen the iron carrier is depressed the j with the collar.

leg assumes the position, indicated by dotted lines, so that the wheel 36 may travel on the track 2 while the iron carrier is moved to and fro above the collar holder.

The smoothing irons are heated through the medium of a gas burner 37 carried by the post 4: from which a flame is directed against the leg 35 through which heat passes to the irons. The burner is supplied with gas delivered through a conducting pipe 38 leading to a mixer 39 in communication with the burner.

'In the practical use of my ironing apparatus a turnover collar is placed on the collar holder A, as seen in Fig. II, and the iron carrier 8 is depressed to the position indicated by dotted lines. and moved to and fro with the smoothing irons B in contact Heat being supplied from the burner 87, the smoothing irons are heated to perform their intended function of ironing the fold of the collar, and the inner member of the collar adjacent such fold.

When the iron carrier 8 is in its elevated position the smoothing irons are tilted backwardly at their upper ends and forwardly at their lower ends, due to the pressure exerted against them by the spring pressed bearing elements 32. These elements are, as previously explained, located back of the centers of the smoothing irons to provide for this tilting of the irons.

As each smoothing iron descends its inner leg 18 first strikes the collar and rides downwardly against the inner member of the collar until the ironing surface 20 contacts with the fold of the collar. During this positioning of the irons they automatically adjust themselves to bear on top of the fold of the collar with the inner ironing legs 18 yieldingly pressed against the inner member of the collar adjacent to the fold. Such adjustment is occasioned by the spring pressure acting to tilt the irons to throw the ironing legs 18 forwardly or outwardly and the presence of the bevels 2]., 22 and 23 which permit oscillation of the irons within the opening 10 in the iron carrier. It will be understood that when the smoothing irons move upwardly in. the opening 10 the bevels 21 and 23 permit the lower ends of the irons to move inwardly while the bevel 22 permits outward movement of the lower ends of the irons, consequently the irons may rock to and fro. The spring 33 and the parts actuated thereby, however, act during ironing operations, to tilt the lower ends of the smoothing irons outwardly, as permitted by the bevels 22, and after the iron carrier has been fully depressed and the ironing operation is being effected the irons do not oscillate backwardly or forwardly, except as such movements may be occasioned by unevenness in the collar.

In the ironing operations carried on by messes theuse of my present apparatus thepressure upon the fold of collars is regulated entirely by the pressure of the spring 33 'upon the irons B, which'may be varied at will by adjustment of the spring tensioningr nut'34.

The leg 35 with its track wheel 36, operable V on the track 2 limits the downward move ment of the iron carrier 8 so that there is no abutment of the upper ends of the irons against the portion of the iron carrier above them. This is an important feature for the reason that it obviates all possibility of the operator exerting a degree of ironing pressure which would be in1urious to the collars.

I have previously fully pointed out the utility of the bevels 21, 22 and 23 which permit forward and backward tilting of the smoothing irons. To this should be added that the bevels 25, 26, 27 and 28 at the sides of the irons permit rocking motion of the irons in a lateral direction so that they will readily pass over any unevenness at the folds of collars being ironed, and again become adjusted to their normal positions.

While I have shown my ironing apparatus as including two smoothing irons it is apparent that a single iron or a greater number than two irons might be utilized with slight alterations, and without departing from my invention.

The collar holder A of my ironing apparatus is so formed as to provide for the shaping of a turnover collar ironed thereon that it will properly fit the neck of the wearer. In order that a turnover collar will conform to the shape of a persons neck it must be flared outwardly throughout its inner member in accord with the slope of the neck toward the shoulders. With this in mind I have made the arcuate holder A so that its inner wall flares outwardly from its upper edge toward the base of the holder as shown in Fig. II. I It will be obvious that when a turnover collar is ironed on a holder of this shape the inner member is pressed against the inner wall of the collar holder and given the desired outward flare.

Another important feature of my present ironing apparatus is the mounting of the iron carrier 8 so that it is capable of play on its support in the direction of its length. To permit play of this description the iron carrier 8 is provided with an elongated hole through which the pivot pin 7 extends. This hole is elongated so as to be of the greatest diameter longitudinally of the iron carrier, and, owing to the hole being of such shape, the iron carrier may partake of a limited forward and backward movement so that the smoothing irons will be properly presented to the work holder A. The spring 15 serves to hold the iron carrier in a forward position but permits a rearward movement of this member when the smoothing irons strike a collar on the work holder,

1. An. ironing. apparatus comprising a work holder, a pivotally mounted-smoothing iron carrier, one of saidpparts. being mov able toward and away from the'other, a smoothing ironrockable In Sitld 1ron carrier both transversely and longitudinally relative to the axis of the pivot of said iron carrier, and means for holding said iron in a tilted position during an ironing operation,

whereby the iron is caused to exert a pressure toward a side of said work holder and move sidewise in the iron carrier.

2. An ironing apparatus comprising a Work holder, a smoothing iron carrier, one of said parts being movable toward and away from the other, a smoothing iron movable vertically in said iron carrier, and a spring pressure device for tilting said iron, the said spring pressure device bearing against the top of said iron aside from its center.

3. The combination, in an ironing apparatus, of a work holder, a smoothing iron carrier, one of said parts being movable toward and away from the other, a smoothing iron loosely mounted in said iron carrier and rockable in line with and transversely of said work holder, and means tending to tilt said iron transversely of said work holder.

4. The combination, in an ironing apparatus, of a work holder, a smoothing iron carrier, one of said parts being movable toward and away from the other, a smoothing iron loosely mounted in said iron carrier and rockable in line with and transversely of said work holder, and spring pressed means tending to tilt said iron transversely of said work holder.

5. The combination, in a collar ironing apparatus, of an arcuate work holder, a post centrally located relative to said arcuate work holder, an iron carrier pivoted to said post, a smoothing iron in said iron carrier overlying said work holder, a track concentric with said Work holder, and means carried by said iron carrier adapted to operate on said track when the iron carrier is depressed.

6. The combination, in a collar ironing apparatus, of an arcuate work holder, a post centrally located relative to said arcuate work holder, an iron carrier pivoted to said post, a smoothing iron in said iron carrier overlying said work holder, a track concentric with said work holder, and a leg depending from said iron carrier provided with an anti-friction roller adapted to operate upon said track.

7. In an ironing apparatus, a collar holder of arcuate shape having its inner wall flared; out ardly from its upper edge towardthe base of the holder, and a smoothing iron operable upon a Collar resting on said holder.

8.";An ironing vapparatus. comprising a 5 Work holder, asupport, an iron carrier loosely pivoted to said support, a smoothing iron carried by said iron carrier, and a spring tending to shift said iron carrier transversely of said Work holder to press said smoothing iron against a side of work holder facing said support.

JOHN T. TRUITT.

Copies of this ipatent'ina y be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

7 a 7 Washington, D. G. 

